Nail Care.

My nail care routine and my nail favorites.

I have enjoyed painting my nails and doing nail art since about the age of 13. I think the best way the get a really good manicure is to start with the basic care and health of your nails. Taking good care of your hands is important as you use them so often every day. In this post i will talk about what products i use, what my routine is and tips for nail/hand health.

Burt's Bees.

Burt's bees is one of my favorite brands, the tins are small and easily fit into a handbag or purse. The product goes a long way, you only need a tiny bit to moisturize all of your cuticles. The Lemon butter cuticle cream has a thick waxy texture and takes around 5-10 minutes to absorb, i find it is best to apply generously before you sleep. Or if you do not mind the the texture its good to apply throughout the day. I apply the cuticle butter up to 5 times a day.

The Burt's Bees Hand Salve is also good to apply to your cuticles, i like to apply it to any particularly dry areas on my hands after a long day, such as the knuckles.

My favorite thing about these products is the smell, they have a sweet lemon smell that reminds you of fresh baked lemon muffins.

Texture - 6/10

Scent - 10/10

Overall - 8/10

Gorgeous By Gok - Cuticle Oil

Gorgeous By Gok is a brand designed by Gok Wan for Boots (drug store). Each year he designs a Christmas gift range for the store. This is my favorite cuticle oil i have ever tried, the oil is not thick and it absorbs quickly. It has a very light texture and musky scent. It comes in a cute little glass bottle with a pipit to apply. I like to dab a small amount onto my cuticles and smooth on with my finger. The bottle contains a generous 10ml which has lasted me almost 2 years and i still have half a bottle left. The bad side to this product is that it is only available to buy at Christmas. Although it does come in a nice gift set with a little bag, a nail file and some orange wood sticks. The oil itself is very hydrating and is great to apply after a manicure. 

Texture - 8/10

Scent - 7/10

Overall - 7/10

The Body Shop

The Body Shop is one of my favorite beauty brands ever. They do not test on animals and the majority of their ingredients are Fair Trade. For Christmas 2013 received a gift set which included an Almond butter, hand cream, hand wash and cuticle oil. My favorite item was the hand wash, compared to others i would normally use, it did not dry out my skin or irritate. It left my hands feeling conditioned almost as if i had just applied a hand cream. All of the products in the gift set work great when used together, i always keep the Almond Hand and nail cream in my bag. Its fast absorbing and has a silky texture. With the butter i prefer to apply this in the evening or when i am not busy, it takes longer to absorb but leaves my hands feeling extra smooth and soft. The smell of the almond is very sweet, i like the smell but some compare it to playdough, i guess its to each individuals taste. 

Texture - 8/10

Smell - 5/10

Overall - 9/10

Other Body Shop products i like to use include there huge range of body butters. These are great to apply generously before you sleep. They come in a neat little tub and many different scents. The tubs come in two different sizes. 50ml/1.6 OZ and 200ml 6.75 OZ. The smaller tub is perfect size to keep in your hand bag. These are also great for any dry skin on the body, they're thick and creamy and moisture really well. They also work wonders as an after sun and help to maintain a tan! My favorite scent is the Vineyard Peach Range. 

Texture - 7/10
Scent - 10/10
Overall - 9/10

 

Sally Hansen 

I think its always important to apply a base coat and a top coat when doing a manicure. The base coat prevents staining and protects the nail, i will always wear a base coat even if i am not going to wear any colour. A top coat locks in to colour and adds extra shine, helping to make your mani last longer. I like to use Sally Hansen's Hard as nails, i have always have nails that peel, split and break easily and i find that it works wonders, its affordable and does what it says! It has a nice wide brush for easy application and a shiny finish. For a top coat i like to use Sally Hansen's Insta-Dri, although i do not feel that it dries as fast as it claims, i still think its a great top coat, it adds so much shine to my manis which is why i love it. 

Overall - 8/10

Other Sally Hansen products i like to use include the Moisturising Polish Remover. Although i do try to peel off my nail polish so i don't have to use harsh chemicals to remove it. When i do use polish remover i chose to use this as i like that it is for dry nails and has moisturising properties with Pro-vitamin B5 and Vitamin E. Nail varnish removers contain harsh chemicals which dry out the skin, always try to avoid getting any onto the skin around you nails and always wash your hands afterwards and apply a hand moisturiser!

General Nail Care 

To maintain healthy nails:

Moisturise then push back cuticles to stop them growing onto the nail.

When filing a nail, always file in one direction.

Buff the nail to keep it smooth, do not over buff though!

Wear gloves while doing cleaning/washing up. The harsh chemicals are not good for your hands.

Use a base coat to prevent staining, colours like red and yellow are hard to remove once stained. 

Keep hands a cuticles moisturised and apply a good cream/butter at least twice a day.

Always apply a cream after washing your hands, the soap will remove most of your skins oils and moisture. 

Don't use your nails as tools! they will peel, snap and break.

Do not bite your nails, for most people this is a hard habit to break, you can purchase nail varnish's with a bitter taste to prevent you from chewing on your nails.

Avoid acetone based polish removers, they are full of harsh chemicals.

Avoid using a rough emery board, the best are the glass ones.

Do not get acrylic nails done at your nail salon! They will ruin your natural nails, instead of hiding your nails, work to keep them healthy instead. 

There are many vitamin supplements you can take to benefit nail health.

Eating a healthy diet will help to maintain healthy nails too!

Do not leave chipped nail polish on for long, remove it straight away and re-do your mani.

Most of all love your hand and nails and they will love you back!